Music, ‘Race’ and Diaspora: Romani Music Making in Ostrava, Czech Republic Melissa Wynne Elliott 2005 School of Oriental and African Studies University of London PhD ProQuest Number: 10731268 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10731268 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Abstract This thesis is a contribution towards an historically informed understanding of contemporary music making amongst Roma in Ostrava, Czech Republic. It also challenges, from a theoretical perspective, conceptions of relationships between music and discourses of ‘race’. My research is based on fieldwork conducted in Ostrava, between August 2003 and July 2004 and East Slovakia in July 2004, as well as archival research in Ostrava and Vienna. These fieldwork experiences compelled me to explore music and ideas of ‘race’ through discourses of diaspora in order to assist in conceptualising and interpreting Romani music making in Ostrava. The vast majority of Roma in Ostrava are post-World War II emigres or descendants of emigres from East Slovakia. In contemporary Ostrava, most Roma live on the socio­ economic margins and are most often regarded as a separate ‘race’ with a separate culture from the dominant population. Chapter 1 considers Romani history and origins in the light of postmodern perspectives. Academic and grassroots debates are reviewed and I explore their significance in the context of contemporary Romani music making in Ostrava. The history of ‘race’, the history of Roma in the Czech lands and Slovakia 1399-1948, and their increasing interweaving and fatal collision in the Nazi-led Holocaust, is outlined in chapter 2. The legacies of the Holocaust, Romani history and contemporary racial experiences are considered in relation to the anthem of the Czech and Slovak Roma. Chapter 3 considers life for Roma under Czechoslovak socialism and I examine recordings of Romani music and memories of this time. In chapter 4, the vast socio-economic and cultural changes following the demise of the Communist party and the influence of the modern nation-state and nationalism are explored in relation to Ostrava Roma and the major re interpretations of Romani musical traditions that have been taking place post-1989. The phenomenon of Rompop is discussed in chapter 5, particularly its contemporary expressions in bands, parties and discos in Ostrava, which is then used as an example in the consideration of possible connections between music and ideas of ‘race’ in a theoretical interlude. Chapter 6 explores new trends in Ostrava music making that mark a fundamental rupture with traditions and draw on a variety of cultural expressions from around the globe. In chapter 7 ,1 introduce the small and separate group of Vlach Roma in Ostrava and their strong diasporic connections to other Vlach. I conclude my theoretical challenge to conceptions of music and ‘race’ in chapter 8 by offering a framework with which to consider Romani music making in Ostrava and its racialisation, drawing on Hall’s theory of articulation and discourses of diaspora. 2 Acknowledgements First and foremost I would like to thank the people of the Zarubek, Liscina, Hrusov, Privoz, Radvanice and the Co-existence Village communities for their great kindness and hospitality. Although countless families showed overwhelming kindness, people I would like to single out are the Botos family (Marcela, Stefan, Stefan and family, Andrea, Marcela, Karolina, Jitka, Jirka and family, Babicka and Deda, Jolana, Pavlina, Renata); Janko Ferenc, Ruzena and family; Stefan Ziga, Alzbeta and family; Kveta Marcinova and family; Jaroslav Krosfan and family; Puki; Franta, Lucka and family; Rafael and family; the Vlach king of Ostrava and his family; the Horvath family in Brno; Josef Gina and family in Opava; Mirga Kalman and family; the residents of the Vesnicka Souziti; staff and children of the Zarubek, Liscina and Hrusov community centres, especially Petr, Klara, Renata, Natasa, Mirek and the ladies at Liscina; Miroslav Cervenak; Martin Grinvalsky and family; Romani residents of Bohumln; Romani residents of Trnkovec street in Radvanice; Petr Licko, staff and children at the Privoz centre. Thanks are especially due to Kumar Vishwanathan and his team at the NGO “Life Together”, including Anicka, Dan, Elena, Zdenek, Hanka and Lucka. I owe particular gratitude to Ladislav Horvath, Ruzena Kotlarova and the residents of Richnava settlement in East Slovakia, when they welcomed my partner and I at their settlement and shared what little they had themselves. Jifi Machacek was tireless in his help, introducing me to musicians, creating opportunities for me, and sometimes interpreting. Thanks to Geoff Williams for introducing me to him and always being a friendly face. I would like to thank Tomas Senkyfik and the Romani Museum in Brno, Jan Rokyta and the staff at Ostrava Radio, Christiane Fennesz-Juhasz and the staff of the Vienna Phonogramm Archiv for assistance with finding archive recordings and other valuable resources. Tomas Novotny was an inspiration and generously shared his experiences, musical talents, translations of Romani proverbs and a recording of the Hefmanice prison choir, which he used to lead. 3 I would also like to thank the AHRC (formerly AHRB) for their financial support and Keith Howard for his academic support. Thanks to Renata Berankova and Lukas Kroulik for their assistance with the Czech and Slovak languages, and to Christiane Fennesz-Juhasz with Romani dialects. Special thanks are due to Renata for patiently transcribing all my interviews. Thanks are due to Ed Scolding for consultation on many of the musical transcriptions and for help with technological challenges. Thanks to Abbi Wood for reading through and commenting on the first five chapters. Thanks to Andy Saunders for obtaining a second hand saxophone, and to Anna Payne, Sarah Goss, Susi Evans, Louise Taylor and She’koyokh for visiting me in Ostrava. Thanks to Duncan (my partner and now husband), my parents and Anna for being a constant source of support in so many ways. 4 Contents List of CD examples 7 List of DVD examples 8 List of Figures 9 A note on terminology and languages 11 Introduction 12 0.1 An introduction to Roma in Ostrava 13 0.2 Fieldwork 15 0.3 Thesis structure 19 0.4 Review of literature on Romani history 24 0.5 Review of literature on Romani music and culture 26 0.6 Research on Romani music in the Czech Republic and Slovakia 29 Chapter 1 Romani Origins and History 33 1.1 Postmodern perspectives on origins and history 34 1.2 Academic debates concerning Romani origins 37 1.3 Romani grassroots’ debates concerning Romani origins 39 1.4 Significances of origins for Romani music in Ostrava 46 Chapter 2 Roma in the Czech Lands and Slovakia 1399-1945: Discourses of ‘Race’ (Part 1) 53 2.1 What is ‘race’?: history and development of discourses of ‘race’ 53 2.2 Statement o n ‘race’ 57 2.3 Entry of Roma into the Czech lands (1399-1917) 59 2.4 The birth of Czechoslovakia (1918-1938) 63 2.5 World War II and the aftermath 64 2.6 Significances of Romani history and World War II amongst contemporary Ostrava Roma: the song Chajori Romani 70 Chapter 3 Romani Music under Socialism: Discourses of ‘Race’ (Part 2) 93 3.1 What is ‘race’?: the intersection of ‘race’ with class, culture and genetics 94 3.2 Conditions for Roma under the Czechoslovak Communist party 97 3.3 Life for Romani musicians under socialism 103 3.4 Recordings of Romani musicians in the Ostrava region between 1958 and 2004 108 Chapter 4 Roma Post-1989: Traditional Styles Reinterpreted 126 4.1 Roma post-1989 in Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic 127 4.2 Roma, the nation-state and nationalism 133 4.3 Phurikam gil'a and dulcimer bands reinterpreted 136 - Mirga Kalman and his family 137 - Josef Gina Junior 144 - The Horvath family band 149 - Old style dancing reinterpreted 155 5 Chapter 5 Rompop 162 5.1 Rompop 163 5.2 Discos and parties 175 5.3 Profile on Janko, his family and Gypsy Imre 181 5.4 Jaroslav Krost’an 195 5.5 Puki and community centres 198 Interlude: How are Ideas of Music and ‘Race’ Connected? 202 Chapter 6 New Trends 212 6.1 Hip Hop 213 6.2 International pop 220 6.3 “Miss” events 222 6.4 Cultural fusion and collaborations 225 6.5 The international Romani movement 230 Chapter 7 Vlach Roma in Ostrava 234 7.1 Historical background of Vlach Ostrava Roma 235 7.2 Vlach musical traditions 240 Chapter 8 Diaspora Discourses and Romani Music Making in Ostrava 247 8.1 Statement on diaspora 248 8.2 Literature on diaspora discourse 251 8.3 Diaspora discourse in relation to Roma 254 8.4 Literature on music and diaspora discourse 256 8.5 Discourses on diaspora in relation to understandings of Romani music making in Ostrava 260 Postlude 271 Appendix Roma in East Slovakia 272 9.1 The Richnava settlement 272 9.2 Impressions from Ostrava 279 Bibliography 281 6 List of CD examples Example 1 (chapter 2.5) Field recording of the song Chajori Romani made by Eva Davidova in Ostrava at the home of Jan Cervenak, with him and his family performing, 1968.